The Chronicles of Sir William

Ch 5

Between the Lies

EXT. THE OWL HOUSE - NIGHT

We close in on the front door of the mysterious Owl House.

Gently snoozing, Hooty jolts awake as the camera

encroaches.

HOOTY

Come one, come all!

He stretches his head to fill the doorway. Out of his

cavernous maw, a roll of red carpet comes tumbling out and

unfurls itself for what seems like miles.

It finally reaches its length at the feet of Luz's friends,

all amazed at the theatrical welcome.

GUS

Aw, cool!

WILLOW

Nifty!

AMITY

(uneasy)

But...kinda gross too...

Gus, Willow, and Amity eagerly pace up along the carpet,

admitted into the house by King who dons a little usher

outfit. They are followed by Lilith, having arrived on her

staff.

INT. LIVING ROOM

The Owl House's living room is adorned like a movie theater

with satin curtains, velvet rope queues, and additional

seating into which King dutifully guides his guests.

Eda walks in from the kitchen, bearing a tray lined with

snacks and drinks. Luz descends the stairs with the echo-

mouse's enclosure under her arm.

LUZ

Hey guys! Glad you could make it!

GUS

Wouldn't miss it for the world!

Luz sets the mouse cage down on the coffee table and takes

her seat in the middle of the couch, next to Eda. Amity is

quick to take the other empty spot by her side when she sees Sir

William enter the room.

Luz gives the echo mouse a playful head pat before rising

to her feet and addressing her audience.

LUZ

Alright, everyone. Before we start,

I just have something to say.

They all lean in close, listening intently.

LUZ (cont'd)

This is a big night for me, for a

lot of reasons. The contents of this

journal might be the final piece of

the puzzle. After tonight, I might

be able to build a working portal

door.

They all cheer and applaud.

LUZ (cont'd)

Which is a big deal because I might

finally, be able to return home...

(emotional)

...but I don't want you to think my

excitement comes from wanting to

leave you...

EDA

Aw, come on Luz. You know we aren't

sore over that.

WILLOW

Yeah. We know you miss your mom.

GUS

And besides, it's not like you can't

come back to see us every now and

then, right?

LUZ

Well, it's not how I'd get back to

you. It'd be convincing my mom to

let me come back.

(unsure)

It has gotten dangerous here. The

Boiling Isles can be a scary place

sometimes.

(dauntless)

But I know for certain she'd love

the people I've met here. Thank you

all, for everything you've done for

me. I can't wait to introduce you to

Camilla Noceda!

Again, more cheers, applause, and wiping away tears.

LUZ (cont'd)

Alright! Let's get this show on the

road!

She kneels down and gives the echo mouse an affectionate

scratch behind the ears. Cooing with pleasure, the little

creature parts its muzzle and projects a beam of light from

its mouth.

The far wall is lit with a lanterna magica style

projection.

PHILIP (O.S.)

By my best reckoning, I believe the

current human year is 1860...or is

it '70? The years are flashing by,

but it will be worth it. I've

gathered all the ingredients,

including Titan's Blood. All that's

left is to seek out a figure folk

hereabouts call "The Observer".

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. THE KNEE - DAY

The style switches back and we see Philip Wittebane scaling

the Knee Mountain, his beard whipped by the frigid he comes upon the dilapidated remains of what appears

to be an old observatory. He marches up to the front door and is greeted by a living

brass door knocker.

HOOTY

Bonjour!

INT. LIVING ROOM

EVERYONE

HOOTY?!

Hooty snakes forward, just as surprised as everyone else.

HOOTY

What?! I don't remember any of this

EXT. OBSERVATORY

HOOTY

Who might you be, mysterious

visitor?

PHILIP

I am Philip Wittebane, here to see

The Observer.

HOOTY

Sorry. The Observer doesn't like

unannounced guests.

Hooty snakes back into the door and shuts his eyes, ending

the conversation.

PHILIP

(flummoxed)

And just how was I supposed to

announce myself? She lives alone on

a deserted mountaintop.

HOOTY

Goodbye-ee!

Hooty keeps his eyes closed. Losing patience, Philip pounds

on the door.

HOOTY (cont'd)

Who's there?

PHILIP

It's still me.

HOOTY

"Still me", who?

PHILIP

I will not be deterred!

HOOTY

He-he. You are "de turd"!

PHILIP

Urgh! Listen, you insufferable

filigree! Can I speak to The

Observer or not?!

HOOTY

Fine! Sheesh!

The door opens with an ominous creak, letting out a howling

draft.

HOOTY (cont'd)

But don't say I didn't warn

yooooouuuu!

He cautiously enters the gloomy building, dust and cobwebs

infesting every corner. He flinches at the sound of fluttering moths and bats.

Shiftily scanning his environs, his dread grows by the

second. Suddenly a pale, clammy hand appears out of the

shadows and seizes him by the shoulder.

Gasping in panic, Philip turns to see a towering figure

shrouded in a cloak patterned with stars. Instead of a

face, the only thing visible through the darkness beneath

her hood is a glowing crescent moon shape.

Philip backs away, tripping and stumbling backward on the

hard stone floor. The figure closes in, leaning over him,

reaching out. Philip winces but slowly opens his eyes to

see her expectantly holding a broom up to his face. He eyes

the figure quizzically.

She extends her other hand out toward the filthy corners of

the house, seeming to indicate she wants a thorough

cleaning. She thrusts the broom into his palm and leaves him

to work. Confused, but grateful to be unharmed, Philip

starts feverishly sweeping.

LATER

The Observer sits in a (mountainously) high-backed lounge

chair by a roaring fire, admiring her newly cleaned living

room. She beckons Philip to pour over a grimoire with her,

laid open on her knee.

PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)

For a bit of menial labor, the

Observer was willing to share with

me the formulae I sought...

The pages of the book are cluttered with all sorts of

mathematical formulae and astronomical charts. The ink

symbols and numbers begin to glow with blue light, flying

off the pages and dancing in a vortex around an awed

Philip.

INT. THE OWL HOUSE, LIVING ROOM

Luz scrambles for her phone, hurriedly snapping pictures of

the formulae copied into Philip's Journal. Having captured

a clear photo of them, she pumps her fist in excitement

LUZ

Yes!

Eda clasps her shoulder and continues watching.

INT. OBSERVATORY, WORKSHOP - DAY

Philip is hard at work chiseling the portal door. After a

time-lapse, he wipes the sweat from his brow, finally

finished. The door swings open, bathing him in a radiant

glow.

PHILIP (V.O.)

Entry Sixty-Two: May Twenty-Seven.

I've finally done it.

With a weary sigh, Philip steps through the door, emerging

in:

EXT. NEW ENGLAND FOREST - NIGHT

Philip emerges on a forest hilltop overlooking the sea. He

lets the cool breezes flow over his face, blissfully taking

in the starry sky and gentle chirp of the crickets.

PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)

I'm...home...

Despite his initial look of rapture, Philip still looks

unfulfilled.

PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)

But it didn't quite feel that way...

I remember what led me to the Demon

Realms to begin with.

BEGIN

FLASHBACK:

INT. MISKATONIC UNIVERSITY LECTURE HALL - DAY

Philip stands before an audience of professors, his

chalkboard scrawled with pictures of mythical beasts and

such taglines as ON THE ORIGIN OF ANIMALES SUPERNATURALES.

His lecture table is littered with unusual specimens,

skulls of fantastical creatures and other baubles of fringe

science.

His listeners don't look convinced by his theories.

PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)

I fancied myself a great naturalist

in the vein of Charles Darwin, only

greater. I resolved to assign a

rational origin to the species that

dwelt in myth and folklore.

His lecture ends with the professors either storming out in

a huff or falling over the banisters laughing. Philip

leaves the university in disgrace.

PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)

But my theories fell on deaf ears.

For years after I sought proof.

EXT. NEW ENGLAND COUNTRYSIDE - DAY

Philip searches through the ruins of an old building. The

architecture looks foreign to Earth, much less to New

England. Suddenly, the ground gives way beneath his feet

and he falls into an underground lake. Its waters glow blue

with magic.

PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)

I suppose now I have that and more...

END FLASHBACK:

Philip continues sitting on the hilltop, mulling over his

past while fidgeting with blades of grass.

PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)

I could vindicate myself a hundred

times over with just a shred of what

I'd found in the Boiling Isles...But

who would I be proving myself to?

The small-minded fools who so

casually dismissed me?

Embittered, he furrows his brow, ripping clods of grass from

the ground.

PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)

And besides, what would they do with

such a revelation? They might only

spoil this world with their greed

and malcontent.

He imagines Bonesburg being turned into a factory town, the

red sky choked with plumes of smoke.

PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)

They say living well is the best

revenge, so that is what I shall do.

Philip smiles mischievously to himself and rises to his

feet. He then marches back through the portal without so

much as a glance behind his shoulder.

PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)

Let them live in ignorance of the

wonders I have discovered. I have

chosen to stay...

INTERMISSION:

INT. THE OWL HOUSE, LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

The audience takes a brief break for refreshments and gathers

around the coffee table for punch. Luz looks wistfully into

her chalice.

LUZ

Oh, Philip. I know how you feel.

EDA

Was this really what it felt like

for you, coming to our world?

LUZ

Yeah, kinda...It's why I'm so

nervous about going back home. Of

course, I want to see my mom again,

but...there's not much else I have

there that I don't have here.

EDA

Aww.

Eda playfully squeezes her shoulder.

LUZ

I guess it's reassuring seeing how

much we have in common...

WILLIAM

I wouldn't go so far as that, Luz...

Sir William looks troubled.

WILLIAM (cont'd)

I thought I knew Master Philip. He

seemed so wise and self-assured when

he taught me...There's just

something...off about him now.

LILITH

I've been getting that impression

too. There's something familiar

about him to me, but I can't place

it...

KING

And what about you, Hooty? You were there to witness this and never said anything?

HOOTY

Hey, gimme a break! This was, what, a hundred and fifty years ago? I barely remember anything before Eda found me here in the woods.

And you grew up thinking you were the "King of all Demons", so cut me some slack!

KING

Okay, okay. You made your point...

GUS

Well, let's look on the bright side. I

think we can call the night a

success! You've got everything you

need to make the portal now.

LUZ

Yeah, but I think I still want to

watch the rest. I want to know if

Philip stuck with his decision.

(pensive)

It might help me make mine...

They all crowd back into their seats and continue watching

as the echo mouse resumes its projections.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. BONESBURG STREETS - DAY

Philip gives a public lecture on Darwin's theory of

evolution to a curious if a bit bored crowd.

PHILIP (V.O.)

Entry Sixty-Three. June Twelfth. My

new life in the Boiling Isles is off

to a bit of a rocky start. These

"witchlings" are a bit backward,

but at least they listen...

The crowd grows and shrinks as the day goes by, most of his

spectators quickly losing interest and moving on.

PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)

...some of the time. I suppose we're

really not so different.

Dispirited, Philip gazes at his chalkboard, the drawings

coming alive in his imagination to illustrate his theories.

PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)

After all, they're too similar to

humans to not have shared some

common ancestry. Perhaps a small

population of us got stranded in the

Boiling Isles like I did and evolved

to use magic over time.

Philip looks longingly out on the bustling crowd.

PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)

Such wondrous adaptations, these

bile-sacks. If only I could cheat

the eons of natural selection and

obtain one for myself. Perhaps these

people might accept me as one of

their own.

(pondering)

But of course, in a world of magic,

why should such a thing not be

possible?

EXT. OBSERVATORY - NIGHT

Philip raps on the door outside the Observatory, shivering

in the cold. After a moment the door swings open, emitting

a warm light. Philip begins explaining himself to the

Observer.

PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)

There was only one witch who could

help me find a way...

The Observer ponders for a moment, finally thrusting

another broom in his hand as a sign of her assent.

PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)

Though she made it clear that for

this favor, I'd be working for her

on the regular...

Philip gives her a forced smile and follows her in.

INT. THE OWL HOUSE, LIVING ROOM

Luz nudges Eda in the arm, raising her eyebrows.

LUZ

Eh? Eh?

Eda snorts with amusement and messes Luz's hair.

INT. OBSERVATORY - DAY

This time, she has Philip hard at work fixing a large

telescope in oil-stained work rags. He manages to replace

the telescope's lens with a new one. It looks like a yellow

eye with a cat-like vertical pupil.

PHILIP (V.O.)

During the day I toiled...

Over the course of the day he also replaces and lubricates

the gears of the observatory dome, making it functional

once more.

INT. ALCHEMY LAB - NIGHT

Philip and the observer experiment at a table piled high

with flasks and alembics. Ghoulish-looking specimens

pickled in alcohol surround them.

PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)

And at night, we experimented.

A time-lapse follows days of dissecting animal corpses,

brewing potions, scrawling formulae on the chalkboard, and

writing spells on vellum. Towards the end, Philip plucks a

flask filled with glowing blue liquid from a fogging

cauldron.

He pauses, gazing at it longingly.

PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)

Finally, it seemed our labors bore

fruit. A mutagen made from Titan's

Blood. All there was left was to

test it...

Philip unfurls a scroll and begins reading an incantation.

The Observer looks on, her expression unreadable without a

face.

PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)

My mentor warned me of the dangers,

but I was the only possible

candidate...No one said discovery

was without sacrifice.

He finishes reciting and takes a long, deep swig from the

flask. Almost instantly he winces and doubles over, letting

the flask drop from his hand and smash on the ground.

FADE TO BLACK:

PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)

Entry Sixty-Four. I have done

something very foolish.

INT. OBSERVATORY, BEDROOM - NIGHT

Philip's chamber door creaks open, illuminating the room.

He convalesces, in loose terms, in his bed. He sweats

profusely, his veins running black as if with ichor. The

Observer enters and begins tending to him.

PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)

The pain is unbearable. I can barely

summon the strength to write this.

It seems I am now afflicted with a

terrible curse.

The Observer takes a flask of golden liquid and pours it

into Philips's mouth. His pain seems to ease for a moment,

allowing him to drift off to sleep.

INT. OBSERVATORY, GALLERY - NIGHT

A haggard Philip, wrapped in his bed sheets, doggedly

staggers through the halls of the observatory.

PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)

Entry Sixty-Five. With the help of

the potions, the pain has subsided

somewhat. While attempting a

constitutional, I discovered that

the experiment was not the total

disaster I thought it was...

Philip's pupils begin to glow a faint blue. He takes notice

in the reflection of the gallery windows. As he moves

closer to inspect them, something outside catches his eye.

He sees small glowing sigils in the snowflakes falling

outside the window.

EXT. OBSERVATORY - EARLY MORNING

Philip bursts out into the snow, reveling at the sight of

the tiny twinkling symbols in the dark. Staggering around

the wilderness, he comes upon a small campfire and sees

similar glyphs wafting up through the smoke.

Wandering further, he treads on a pine cone, examining it

to find more tiny glyphs. Finally, as he crests a snowy

hilltop, he sees the first rays of the dawn with a glowing

glyph emblazoned in the center of the sun.

Squinting to see, he withdraws his journal and attempts to

transcribe the symbol. To his surprise, the page crumples

into a ball and emits a pale glow, rising into the morning

air.

PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)

Imbibing the Titan's blood has given

me clairvoyance into the fundamental

elements of magic.

INT. OBSERVATORY, GREAT ROOM - NIGHT

Philip practices drawing his glyphs by the light of the

fire and the swarm of glowing orbs with which he's filled

the air. But as he finishes a plant glyph, he winces in

pain, clutching his chest.

PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)

But the curse is still ever present.

It desires to feed on magic, the one

thing I still do not naturally

possess.

He hurriedly imbibes more potion, but it only seems to

grant partial relief.

PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)

The potions only provide so much

relief, and less with each passing

year.

EXT. STREETS OF BONESBURG - NIGHT

Philip climbs from the window of a townhouse, having

burgled a palisman.

PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)

At times I have even resorted to

thievery to sate the curse's hunger.

He splits the palisman apart and inhales its magical

vapors. He finds much sweeter relief in its glow but keeps

to the shadows to avoid being spotted by the city watch.

Having dodged a patrol in the sewers, Philip sulks with his

guilt.

PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)

There has to be a better way...

EXT. STREETS OF BONESBURG - DAY

Philip once again entreats a crowd of onlookers, this time

not with lectures, but sermons. He is garbed in a gray,

rough-spun cloak and carries a staff with what appears to

be a laden jar affixed to its top.

PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)

Entry Sixty-Six. I thought I might

try convincing them to part with

their magic willingly.

Despite so many witchlings having

the potential for magic, few ever

pursue it from superstitious fear.

Styling myself as an "Emissary of

the Titan", I convince them to

exercise their birthright.

Philip takes some volunteers from the crowd and shows them

how to draw the pictoglyphs on little slate boards. They

marvel at their newfound abilities, eagerly demonstrating

them for the astonished crowd.

PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)

(amused)

Works better than my lectures at any

rate...

EXT. FOREST, THE SKULL - DAY

Philip gathers a small group of his initiates to a magic

circle drawn on the forest floor. Through an opening in the

boughs, they see the moon about to eclipse the sun.

PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)

But I tell them that in return for

the Titan's wisdom, he expects a

tithe of magic to be sacrificed

every year on an astrological event

known as the "Day of Unity"...

His followers gather in a circle and raise their arms

towards the sky.

PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)

From the Observer's stellar records

I learned that on this day, the veil

between the Demon Realms and the

Human World grows thin from the

friction of these heavenly bodies.

During this time, some of the magic

so profuse in this world flows out

to occupy the void in the other.

The disciples each take knives and make small gashes in the

bases of their wrists. Rivulets of blood begin flowing down

their arms. Before so much as a drop touches the ground,

their blood begins glowing gold and starts floating up into

the sky in long inky ribbons.

PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)

I can take advantage of this

differential to collect some of that

magic for myself.

Philip raises his staff, collecting some of the flowing

ribbons of magic in the glass sphere on his staff.

PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)

I can gather enough both to sate the

curse and to use for my own

purposes.

Philip marvels at the glowing energy caught in his staff,

while his adherents are still mystified by the solar

eclipse.

LATER

The congregation disperses, Philip watching them leave with

satisfaction twinged with guilt.

PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)

I don't like lying to them...but

it's not altogether a lie, is it? It

was drinking the Titan's blood that

led me to the knowledge of magic I

shared with them.

It's thanks to the risk I took that

they were able to learn magic at

all. So, it's not too much to ask

for a small toll in return...

Philips' look of contrition fades and he follows his

disciples out of the clearing with a serene, self-satisfied

expression.

PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)

(smug)

Perhaps, in a lyrical sense, I do

speak for the Titan...

SMASH CUT TO:

INT. THE OWL HOUSE, LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

WILLIAM

THAT ARROGANT SNIPE!

In a rage, Sir William slams his fist down on the coffee

table, scaring the echo mouse and halting the playback. He

shoots to his feet and paces across the room, fuming.

WILLIAM (cont'd)

All along I had learned from a

charlatan! Was he planning to leech

off me as well?!

Luz dives across the table to shelter the shivering echo-

mouse, gently petting and soothing it.

LUZ

Hey! Calm down!

(defensive)

I know it looks bad, but we weren't

there!

LILITH

(grave)

Luz, this all starting to feel

hauntingly familiar.

EDA

Yeah. You don't see who this guy is

starting to remind you of?

LUZ

What are you saying?! That Philip

Wittebane is...-No! That can't be

right!

KING

They seem like two-of-a-kind to me.

LUZ

Well, maybe Belos was one of

Philip's disciples who went renegade

or something!

LILITH

But, Luz. What about the curse?

Belos suffers from a very similar

ailment that-

LUZ

Well, maybe he got that from Philip

too. You got your curse by sharing

Eda's.

(frustrated)

*groan* Let's just wait and see!

She once again coos for the mouse, stroking its skeletal

head.

LUZ (cont'd)

Come on, little echo mouse. Don't

stop now. I have to know the truth!

Reluctantly, the little rodent hops back onto the coffee

table and resumes projecting from its maw.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. WINTER FOREST - DAY

Philip leads a large procession of disciples to the ritual

site, unaware of an ambush looming in the trees.

PHILIP (V.O.)

Entry Sixty-Seven. Some time has

passed since my last entry, but

things have been going well. My

initially small movement has grown

sevenfold.

But so too along with it has the

curse's hunger...

The demon bandit captain gives his fellows the signal and

they launch their attack. The forest erupts into chaos as

Philip's disciples fend off the attackers. Philip joins

them, spry for his age, deftly repelling the bandits at

every turn.

PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)

And yet, I have not felt the effects

of my advancing age. I feel as

strong as ever...stronger even...

He gets cocky and fails to notice the bandit captain

sneaking up behind him. The bandit takes a swipe with his

sword. Philip's disciples turn and look with horror at their

master's severed head buried in the snow.

The bandit captain cackles with glee but is equally

horrified to see Philip's headless body continuing to fight

back. With a powerful blast wave from Philip's staff, the

rest of the bandits are sent fleeing back into the forest.

With peace restored, Philip's body begins searching for its

head.

PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)

And even when I am horrifically

wounded or dismembered, I can simply

mold myself back into shape like a

clay doll.

Philip's body finds his head and plucks it from the snow, a

black ooze leaking from the bottom. Philip then fastens it

back on, smoothing the seams like modeling clay. Some of

his disciples look nauseous at the sight.

PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)

It's like the curse has a mind of

it's own. It doesn't want me to die,

only to keep living on to feed it

more magic...

Philip resumes leading his disciples, pausing briefly,

wincing in pain.

PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)

But it doesn't hesitate to remind me

the price of keeping it waiting.

EXT. BONESBURG - DAY

PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)

Entry Sixty-Eight. Once again, I

have been a fool. Disaster has

befallen us.

The town is in chaos. Witches fight in the streets like a

shoot-out in the wild-west.

PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)

Some ingrates have fled our ranks

and now abuse my teachings, using

their magic to settle scores or

profit themselves.

The town's constables struggle to contain the bedlam,

having to call in soldiers and knights to quell the riots.

EXT. RITUAL SIGHT, THE SKULL - NIGHT

Philip holds council with his disciples, taking a stern,

almost scathing tone.

PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)

I have had to take a firmer hand

with my disciples. Further, I have

decided to revise our doctrine...

Philip holds his staff aloft, creating images of magic

separated into nine bright hues.

PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)

From now on, our practitioners will

be divided into nine covens, each

centered around a brand of magic

dedicated to a specific purpose.

Several of Philip's more trusted disciples march around the

congregation with branding gloves.

PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)

They will each be branded with a

mark that will seal away any magic

that lies outside their coven. What

they do not use will now comprise

their tithe to the Titan on the Day

of Unity.

The only exceptions will be for

those few who can be trusted with

the power, the High Coven.

The members of Philip's inner circle are each given more officious-looking

garments and masks. Philip himself dons one that vaguely

resembles a bird, or perhaps a weevil.

PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)

This way, no witch is an island. We

will all be forced to work together

for the common good.

Those who do not submit are branded

"wild witches" and are severely

punished.

Those among the disciples who refuse the brand are carried

away by High Coven enforcers, dragged further into the

woods to a non-descript fate. Philip's followers look at

him with a newfound sense of fear and awe.

PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)

Perhaps it should have always been

this way...

EXT. BONESBURG, TOWN SQUARE - DAY

The bailiff of Bonesburg stands before a gathering of the

citizenry, reading a list of charges from a scroll. Philip,

disguised by his mask, watches from among the crowd.

PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)

Despite these changes, the damage

has been done. The current king of

Ossigard, already leery of our

movement, has now declared us

anathema.

Our ranks shrink by the day. New

converts are harder to come by. This

could be the end of us...

Over time, the crowd slowly depopulates, leaving Philip

standing alone. He once again doubles over in pain, his

curse exacerbating. His eyes glow blue with rage.

PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)

It seems that conflict will be

inevitable. A regime change will

soon be in order...

We zoom past the spires of Philip's ever-growing empire.

BELOS (V.O.)

Entry Sixty-Eight. I do not know the

year. Again, much time has passed,

but we were successful in our

uprising.

Philip's voice has noticeably deepened since the last entry,

more waspish and raspy.

BELOS (V.O.) (cont'd)

(grandiose)

Ossigard has fallen before me, and a

new Empire has arisen in its ashes.

It's more beautiful than I could have

ever dreamed.

My followers are legion. My holds

are many. I am worshiped as an

Emperor-as a god!

We reach the inner sanctum of the castle, with Philip in

resplendent regalia, leaning over a lectern as he writes.

BELOS (V.O.) (cont'd)

Yet, the curse still gnaws at me,

demanding more and more magic. I am

once again forced to draw power from

palisman to sate it until the next

Day of Unity can arrive...

(troubled)

But I know one day it will not be

enough...One day soon, it's hunger

will outstrip all the magic the

people of the Isles can possibly

provide...

(desperate)

But I cannot stop now. The people

need me. They look up to me. Where

would they be without me?

Philip is gripped by excruciating pain, black ooze leaking

from his face and armor. As his pain grows so does his

rage.

BELOS (V.O.) (cont'd)

Nothing but savages trapped in the

dark ages! Lost to their ignorance!

His form grows ever more monstrous as his rage is stoked

higher. Luz watches the scene with growing horror.

LUZ

(disbelieving)

No...!

BELOS

I am their light in the darkness!

LUZ

No...! No!

BELOS

I am the sole spot of beauty in this

hideous world!

LUZ

(tears streaming)

NO!

BELOS

I am BELOS!

Philip's monstrous transformation is complete. His roars

echo through his castle, its mechanical heart beating

wildly. Luz finally doubles over, sobbing. Eda and Amity

try to comfort her, the rest watching with astonishment.

After a few moments of convulsing, Belos' episode subsides

and he is human once again. Panting with exhaustion, he

takes his quill back up and resumes writing.

BELOS (cont'd)

*pant* But still...*pant* Something

must be done...I cannot wait each

year for the Day of Unity. I must

find a means of creating an

artificial magic differential...

And I lament the fact that I have

lost the means. My portal to the

human realm...I do not recall its

location, long ago forsaking it.

Belos appears outside the observatory, but all that's left

of it is a huge crater in the ground and a trail of giant,

chicken-like footprints leading off into the wilderness. It

seems that it grew legs and walked away...

BELOS (V.O.)

My mentor, the Observer, was also

nowhere to be found when I came to

call. She must have fled in the

turmoil of our revolution...

But there may yet be hope...My

scouts report that a wild witch

calling herself "The Owl Lady" has

taken to peddling human trinkets.

She barters in quantities which

suggest that she must be using the

portal door to obtain them.

The streets of Bonesborough are lined with her wanted

posters.

I have put forth every effort to

capture her...alive.

The scene shifts back to the Emperor's scriptorium, with

him concluding another entry.

BELOS (V.O.) (cont'd)

Diary of Philip Wittebane. Final

Entry. I now hear this Owl Lady has

taken an apprentice...a human

apprentice...Now I know she is in

possession of the portal without a

doubt.

I must now make haste with my plans,

for the next Day of Unity is fast

approaching. I want her to be there

to witness my triumph...

The shadowy effigy of Belos turns to face the fourth wall,

his gaze seeming to rake over the audience watching the

projection.

BELOS (V.O.) (cont'd)

(chilling)

Won't you join me, Luz?

Luz's eyes widen in shock. Suddenly, the projection

flickers and halts, the echo mouse seized by convulsions.

LUZ

Wha-? What's going on?! You okay,

little buddy?-AAH!

Electricity arcs around the poor mouse as it squeals in

pain. It rapidly grows and mutates, expanding to fill the

room. All gathered dash for cover as it bursts out of the

living room wall.

What was formerly the echo mouse is now a twenty-foot-tall

monster, shrieking at the moon. It twists its head around

scanning its surroundings. It sees the world in shades of

ghoulish green, the form of Luz surrounded in glowing hues

as its eyes settle on her.

The creature lumbers toward her but is blocked by Eda in

harpy form.

EDA

It's after Luz! Don't let it take

her!

Her friends all leap into action, creating a defensive wall

around her. The monster charges into their formation,

tripped over by a field of thorny vines cast by Willow. It

gnaws through the vines, almost breaking free, but its

bonds are reinforced by Amity's abomination clay. Hooty

intervenes as well, wrapping himself around its legs.

The creature struggles even more desperately, finally

wriggling free and charging at Luz again. Eda tries to

distract it by dive-bombing it and clawing at its eye-

sockets. Meanwhile, Lilith lobs explosive potions at the

creature from the ground, growing frustrated with its lack

of efficacy.

LILITH

(tossing the

potions aside)

*groan* This isn't working! There's

got to be more I can do than this!

She looks on Eda's harpy form with just a tinge of envy.

LILITH (cont'd)

(determined)

Come now, Lilith. If Eda can do it,

so can you!

She musters her strength and willpower, sprouting feathers

across her body.

Meanwhile, the mouse seems undeterred by Eda's attacks and

knocks her from the sky with a swipe of its tail. It then

redoubles its pursuit. Only now, instead of a single Luz to

chase, the beast is confronted with a swarm of Luz clones

all dancing across the lawn, all cast by Gus.

LUZ CLONES

Yoohoo! Over here!

Can't catch me!

Nya, nyah!

The monster blinks confusedly but is ultimately not

deceived. In its green-hued view of the world, none of

these illusions are surrounded by a glowing aura. It turns

its attention to the edge of the clearing where the real

Luz is attempting to sneak away with her invisibility

glyph.

The mouse dashes straight for her, but before it can reach

her she is swept off her feet by a winged savior.

LUZ

Whoa! Harpy Lilith?!

LILITH

We have to get you away from here!

Before they get far, the echo mouse regurgitates a ball of

sludge from its mouth which gums up Lilith's wings and

makes her crash land at the top of the Owl House's tower.

They tumble across the stone floor, knocked unconscious.

The monster then tries to scale the side of the tower but

is dragged off by Sir William, yanking its tail with his

magical giant strength. He continues to box and wrestle

with the beast, churning the earth around the lawn in a

titanic struggle.

Joining him, Luz's friends all bombard the mouse with a

hail of magical attacks. Fireballs, thorn-whips,

abomination clay missiles, light beams, voice blasts,

anything they can throw at it.

Finally losing its patience, the mouse raises its muzzle to

the sky and emits an ear-splitting screech. The combatants

all double over, trying to shield their ears from the

deafening noise. Just when the sound seems to subside,

their senses are then overwhelmed by the contents of

Philip's Diary, being magically overloaded into their

brains.

With its attackers paralyzed by its sensory overload spell,

the mouse is left to scale the tower unimpeded. Luz rouses

just enough to see the echo mouse seize her in its claws

and carry her off into the forest.

EDA

LUZ! NO!

A few moments later, the sensory overload spell fades. The

defenders all stagger to their feet, looking with despair

at the trail of felled trees leading off to Belos' castle

in the distance...

TO BE

CONTINUED...